Printing machines



Jan. 13, 1959 c. J. HUEBER 2,868,120

PRINTING MACHINES Origina] Filed July 26. 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 iNvENTo'R: CARL J. HUEBER ATTORNEYS Jan. 13, 1959 Original Filed July 26. 1954 c. J. HUEBER 2,868,120

PRINTING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I l I mvfim R: CARL a. HUEBER ATTORNEYS Jan. 13, 1959 c. J. HUEBER PRINTING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed July 26. 1954 L w Rm I 1 2 L 0 m 5 7 m? w 5 E A l x m L F R m 3 55 6/ 5 5 S5 6 Z I R 7 z 5/ M R m 0 K 5 INVENTOR'I CARL d. HUEBER ATTORNEYS Original Filed July 26. 1954 c. J. HUEBER PRINTING MACHINES Jan. 13, 1959 4'SheetS -Sheet 4 FIG.7

FIG. 5

I I I g a t 2 a; s N i r '2 I a I i: n i r; 3

INVENTORI O CARL d. HUEBER B WM M ATTORNEYS United 2,868,120 PRINTING MACHINES Carl J. Hueher, Euclid, Ohio, assignor to Addressograph- Multigraph Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporatron of Delaware 1 Original application July 26, 1954, Serial No. 445,771. Divrded and this application January 10, 1958, Serial Claims. c1. 101 -336) This application is a division of application Ser. No. 445,771, filed July 26, 1954.

This invention relates to printing machines and more particularly to hand-operated printing machines of the kind where individual printing devices bearing embossed type characters are passed one'by one to a printing statron where impressions are made through an inked ribbon therefrom, and the object of the present invention is a simplified and improved ribbon feed and reversing mechanism for such hand-operated printing machines.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which by way of illustration, show a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the principle thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principle may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

, In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a hand operated printing: machine embodying the present invention in one form; P Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine shown in Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views taken respectively on the lines 3'3 and 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale showing further details of the ribbon feed and reversing mechanism embodied in the machine of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 7; and

Fig.7 is a sectional View taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5.

A form of ribbon feed and reversing mechanism contemplated by the present invention is embodied in the machine 530, Fig. 1, which is disclosed in its entirety in application Ser. No. 445,771, filed July 26, 1954. The: details of the form of ribbon feed and reversing mecha nism embodied in the machine 530 are illustrated in Figs. 3 to 7 hereof, and the reference characters used in the drawings hereof are based on those of application Ser. No. 445,771 while using a five hundred series herein. Thus, the machine 530 hereof is identified as the machine 30 in application Ser. No. 445,771.

Thus, the invention is herein illustrated as embodied in a hand-operated printing machine 530, Fig. 1, having a main base 531 upon which a printing station 532 is afforded near the upper forward portion of the top of the base. A stamper platen 533 is supported above the base 531, and the platen 531 is carried on a pivotal platen operating arm 534 which may be moved manually downwardly through a printing stroke, as described in the aforesaid application, to produce printed impressions from the embossed type characters on printing devices of Patented Jan. 13, 1959 Bee the kind shown in Fig. 3A of the aforesaid application. The printing devices are advanced one by one from a supply magazine 535 located near the rear of the machine along .a printing device guideway in the machine, and as described in the aforesaid application each such printing device is arrested at the printing station 532 with its embossed type characters disposed uppermost beneath an inked ribbon IR, Fig. 1. As described in the aforesaid application, movement of the platen arm 534 operates feed means which advance the printing devices along the aforesaid guideway, and the arrested state of a printing device at the printing station coincides with the platen 533 being effective to press .a sheet to be printed against the ribbon IR, the sheet to be printed being superimposed on the ribbon IR at the printing station.

The printing device guideway is afforded in part by a pair of spaced apart guide bars 551R and 551L, Fig. 3, which are joined by a rigid anvil 530A, and the anvil has an upper surface which is disposed beneath the ribbon IR at the printing station such that when each printing device is arrested as mentioned above it reposes on the upper surface of the anvil 530A which serves to enable the desired printing pressure to be established when the platen 533 is effective to press the sheet to be printed against the ribbon IR. It should also be pointed out that retaining plates 567 are respectively secured to the guide bars 551R .and 551L, and as shown in Fig. 3, these plates have their upper edges bent inwardly and then upwardly as at 567E to define what amount to guide slots GS for receiving the well-known guide flanges formed on the conventional printing devices that are to be used in the present machine.

The inked ribbon IR is adapted to be drawn back and forth across the printing station 532, Fig. 1, by means of a pair of similar ribbon spools SlZQR and 5120L, Fig. 3, that are mounted on opposite sides of the printing device guideway in U-shaped mounting brackets 5121R and 5121L. These U-shaped mounting brackets have the web portions thereof secured against the outer faces of respective guide bars 551R and 551L by means of the cap screws 553, Fig. 5, which serve to secure the guide bars to the opposite ends of the anvil 53iiA of the machine 530. The ribbon spools are disposed below the level of ribbon guide plates 572, as shown particularly in Figs. 3 and 5, and the guide plates 572 have their outer edges notched at 5'72N, as shown in Fig. 5, and the material cut from these plates and from the notch 572N is curled downwardly to afford rounded guiding edges over which the ribbon may pass.

The ribbon spools have ratchet wheels 5124L and 512411, Fig. 3, associated respectively therewith, these ratchet wheels being arranged with their teeth facing in opposite directions so that the ribbon spools may be actuated selectively in opposite directions to thereby reverse the feeding movements imparted to the ribbon IR, as will be described.

The spools 5125?. and SlZtlL are carried on respective spool mounting shafts as 5125K, Fig. 5, and these mounting shafts extend through suitable bearings in the arms of the brackets as 5121K, it being noted that the axes of the shafts are conventionally disposed at a slight angle to the longitudinal axis of the printing device guideway so as to feed the inked ribbon IR at a slight angle across the printing station 532. The rear end of each spool shaft as 5125L, Fig. 2, has a friction disk 51% mounted thereon :and guided for longitudinal movement by a pin 5127, :thus to cause the disk 5126 to rotate with the related shaft and ribbon spool. An expansive coil spring 5130 surrounds the adjacent end portion of the shaft and acts between the disk 5126 and a pair of adjusting nuts 5131 to -urge the friction disk 5126 against the adjacent arm of the mounting bracket 51211.. This affords a limited drag- 2,ses,12o

upon the related spool. The other end of each spool shaft extends forwardly for a considerable distance and has a screw driver slot 5132 formed therein so as to facilitate operation of the spools from the exterior of the housing 542 for the machine 53%, and the housing 542 has openings 5133 formed therein to permit access to these ends of the spool shafts, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

In its movement across the printing station, it will be noted that the ribbon IR is located on top of a lower ribbon guard 5135, Fig. 2. This lower ribbon guard 5135 has a pair of downwardly projecting mounting pins there- 'on (not shown), that enter appropriately positioned sockets in the ribbon guide plates 572, and the rear edge of the guard 5135 is bent slightly upwardly as at 5135U so as to insure that an advancing printing device in the guideway of the machine 530 will be moved beneath the lower ribbon guard 5135.

The ribbon spools are arranged to be selectively actuated in a step-by-step indexing or ribbon advancing movement by means of a common pawl bar or feed lever 5149, Figs. 3 and 5 to 7, which, as shown in Fig 3 is located in a transverse position in a plane just slightly rearwardly of the location of the two ratchet wheels 5124R and 512413. The pawl bar or feed lever 514i) is thus located somewhat rearwardly of the plane of therear face of the anvil 530A, and means for supporting and actuating the feed lever 5140 are carried on the anvil SHEA on its rear side. Thus, a pivot and mounting stud 5141, Fig. 7, extends rearwardly from the anvil at substantially the midpoint between the two sides of the printing device guideway, and a depending operating or con trol lever 5142 is mounted on this pin. The operating or control lever 5142 has a slide bar 5143 mounted on its rear face for purposes that will hereinafter appear, and the slide bar has a longitudinal notch 5143N near its upper end so that this notch may embrace the mounting stud 5141 and be guided thereby in sliding movement of the bar 5143 along the lever 5142. A C-washer 5144 holds the slide bar 543 in position against the upper end of the lever 5142. Downwardly a substantial distance from the mounting stud 5141, the lever 5142 has a mounting pin 5145 extended therethrough, and this pin extends through a longitudinal slot 5146 in the slide bar 5143 to cooperate with the pin 5145 in guiding the slide bar 5143 longitudinally of the lever 5142.

On the other or forward face of the control lever 5142, the feed lever 5149 is mounted and supported primarily by the pin 5145 which extends through a somewhat kidney shaped aperture 5147 in the lever 5140 which serves as a fulcrum as will be explained. A C-washer 5148 is mounted on the pin 5145 and holds the drive lever in position on the pin 5145, while permitting shifting movement of the feed lever on the pin under certain circumstances as will be described. As will be evident particularly in Fig. 6 of the drawings, the kidney shaped opening 5147 has its bottom surface formed to afford what may be termed an upwardly projecting tooth 5147T or abutment which divides the opening 5147 to afford a pair of pockets each of which is adapted to receive the drive pin 5 145, and this abutment is located substantially midway between the ends of' the lever 5140. So long as the feed lever or pawl bar 5149 is held upwardly and in substantially the relationship known in the drawings, the feed lever 5140 will be located with the tooth 5147T on either one side or the other side of thedrive pin 5145, and this is important, as will be hereinafter described, in governing the direction of actuation of the inked ribbon IR.

The feed lever 514% is urged in .an upward direction by yieldnble means that are mounted on the slide bar 5143, and such means comprises in part a roller 5150 mounted on the end of a mounting stud 5151, this stud 5151 being extended through an opening in the lower end of the slide bar 5143 so as to move up and down with the slide bar. T he relationship is such that the roller 5150 is disposed in a guide slot 5152 formed in the lever 5142, and

the roller 5150 is of such a width that it underlies the lower edge of the feed lever 5140. The slide bar 5143 is urged yieldingly in an upward direction by a coil spring 5153 that acts between the ends of the pivot stud 5141 and the pin 5151, and thus the roller 5150 yieldingly urges the feed lever 5140 upwardly. The yielding forces that are thus applied are arranged to cooperate with the location of the tooth 5147T to, in effect, rock or tilt the feed lever 5140 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5 from the position shown in solid lines, or viceversa, these beingtwo different drive or tilt positions of the feed lever 5140. Thus, the lower edge of the feed lever 5140 has its central portion cut away to form two like cam surfaces disposed on opposite sides of and separated by what amounts to a downwardly projecting tooth or abutment 5140T that is located directly beneath the tooth 5147T. Hence, when the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the roller 5150 acts on one sloping side or cam surface of the tooth 5141T to rock the feed lever 5140 clockwise as viewed in Fig. 6 (or counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 5) noting that Fig. 5 is a view from the back of the machine whereas Fig. 6 is a view from the front of the machine. Such rocking of the feed lever is accommodated by the pin 5145 which serves as a fulcrum for the lever 5140, and incidentally the support for the lever 5140. This will cause a ratchet drive pin 51401,, Fig. 3, to be located in a position for driving cooperation with the left-hand ratchet 5124L. This will serve, when the lever 5142 is rocked back and forth, to Wind the ribbon IR on the spool 5120L.

When the ribbon has been completely-wound on the spool 512tlL, the spool will resist further winding movement, and under such circumstances, the roller 5150 will be cammed downwardly by the tooth 5140T, it being noted at the same time that the angular surface of the tooth 5147 T is acting upon the pin 5145. Thus, an effective separation of the roller 5150 and the drive pin 5145 is brought about, and the central portion of the feed lever 5140 moves downwardly to such an extent that the pin 5145 may move over the tooth 5147 and into the other pocket of the opening 5147 at the same time that the roller 5150 moves over the high point of the tooth 5140T in moving from one cam surface on to the other. This reverses the relationship of the lever 5142 to the feed lever 5140 so as to rock or tilt the lever 5140 to its other tilted position that is shown in dotted outline in Fig. 5 of the drawings. This action locates the other ratchet drive pin 514% Fig. 3, in its upper or effective position and causes reversal of the ribbon feeding movement of the mechanism.

The lever 5142 is operated through its rocking movements by means including a link 5155 that extends outward toward the side of the machine from lower end of the lever 5142. The other end of this link 5155 is connected to one arm of a bell crank 5156, Figs. 2 and 6, that is pivoted at its midpoint on the lower end of a downwardly projecting stud 5157 that is carried on the printing device guide rail 551L of the machine 530. The other arm of the bell crank 5156 projects to the left beyond the guide rail 551L, and is connected by means of a link 5158, Fig. 2, to the lower end of a main drive lever 5118. A coil spring 5159 acts between the lever 5118 and a pin 5160 that extends from the outer side of the guide bar 551L, and thus the lever 5118 and the related parts are urged to the normal position shown in Fig. 2, of the drawings.

As mentioned, the machine 530 includes a platen 533, Fig. 2, normally supported above theprinting station of the machine by a platen arm 534, and in the course of producing an imprint the platen arm 534 is driven downwardly as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2 to bring about pressure engagement between the sheet to be printed, the ribbon IR, and the embossures on the printing device which is at printing position, this being explained in detail in application Ser. No. 445,771. The platen arm 534 is generally yoke shaped, and the free endsof the opposed arm mem- .viewed' in Fig. 4, afforded by the flanges5234F.

bers are journalled, as shown in Fig. 4, on pins 5200 which are supported in bearing lugs formed at the upper ends 555E of mounting arms 5558 of a support 555 which serves further in part as the rear leg structure of the machine 530 as best shown in Fig. 2. The opposed arm members of the platen arm 534 are each of inverted U-section so as to have spaced downwardly directed flanges as 52341 Fig. 4, and these flanges are formed with aligned apertures which embrace the pins 5200 to afford the pivotal mount for the platen arm, A drive transmitting connection is established between the left one of the platen arm members, as viewed in Fig. 4, and the ribbon feed and reversing mechanism. Thus, the arm 5118 of the ribbon feed and reversing mechanism has an upward extension 5118B, Figs. 2 and 4, disposed within the hollow of the left one of the platen arm members 534, as

Intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof, the operating lever 5118 is journalled on a bearing support 515L formed on the aforementioned bearing lug. Hence, the arm 5118 is capable of rocking on and relative to the bearing support 515L.

The upper end 5118B of the arm 5118 is formed with an upwardly opening slot 51188 as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. A transverse pin 5205, Fig, 2, is extended between the flanges 5234? of the left one of the platen arm members (see Fig. 2), and this pin is disposed in the slot 51185 as shownin Fig. 2. Hence, when the platen arm is driven downwardly, the pin 5205 is effective to rock the lever 5118 thereby producing thedesired motion of the feed lever or pawl bar 5140 for driving the ribbon feed and reversing mechanism.

It will be seen from the foregoing that under the present invention I have embodied in a printing machine a ribbon reversing mechanism which reverses itself in a highly efficient manner upon the ribbon being exhausted on one of the supply spools, and such reversal occurs automatically and with the positive assurance of doing so. At other times during normal feeding, a yieldable force is effective to assure positive operative positioning of the feed lever 01' pawl bar, and this same yieldable force in part accounts for the positive assurance of reversal of ribbon feed. Thus, the effective tilted drive position of the feed lever in each form of the invention is assured in part by the pin which is forcefully held by a single spring against a multiple-cam surface on an edge of the feed lever, and the sole in the feed lever, the relationship being such as to tilt the feed lever in one position. Upon reversal, the feed lever is newly tilted, and the change in tilt is accomplished quickly.

Hence, while I haveillustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention,]it is to be understood that this is capable of variation andmodification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a printing machine, ribbon feed and reversing mechanism comprising a pair of ribbon spools having ratchet wheels connected respectively thereto for advancing said spools, a control lever mounted pivotally in the machine, a feed lever having drive means at opposite ends respectively for drivingly engaging one of said ratchet wheels when the feed lever is in a first tilted ratchet driving position and for drivingly engaging the other of said ratchet wheels when in a second tilted ratchet driving position, an abutment located on and be,- tween the ends of said feed lever, a drive pin on said control lever adapted to normally engage one side or the other of said abutment in a first position of said drive pin so as to transmit endwise lateral shifting movement to said feed lever upon rocking movement of said control lever, said drive pin being adapted to shift laterally from one side of said abutment to a second position on the other side of said-abutment when said feed lever encounters resistance against endwise shifting movement as aforesaid, a pair of cam surfaces on said feed lever separated by a tooth, a second pin supported for shifting movement lengthwise of said control lever in a direction away from said feed lever and normally engageable with one of said cam surfaces on one side of said tooth to define a first position of said second pin, said second pin being adapted to shift laterally across said tooth from engagement with the one cam surface in to engagement with the other cam surface on the other side of said tooth to define a second position of said second pin, and yielding means acting on said second pin to forcefully hold the second pin against said one cam surface to tilt the feed lever in said one tilted driving position on said first pin as a fulcrum, and whereby when the feed lever encounters resistance causing the first pin to assume its second position as aforesaid the second pin shifts also to its second position as enabled by said yieldable means and is forcefully held against the other of said cam surfaces to establish a new fulcrum for said feed lever in its second tilted driving position.

2. In a printing machine, ribbon feed and reversing mechanism comprising ribbon spools having ratchet wheels connected respectively thereto for advancing said spools, a control lever pivotally mounted in saidmachine, a feed lever having drive means at opposite ends for respectively drivingly engaging one of said ratchet wheels when the feed lever is in a first tilted ratchet driving position and for drivingly engaging the other of said ratchet wheels when in a second tilted ratchet driving position, said feed lever having an opening substantially at its midpoint affording a pair of symmetrical fulcrum pockets, said feed lever having a tooth formed on the periphery of said opening between said pockets, said feed lever having another tooth on an edge thereof and whereat ends of a pair of cam surfaces terminate, said teeth being directly opposite one another substantially in centered alignment on said feed lever and said pockets and said cam surfaces being symmetrical and spaced substantially equally from the center points of said teeth, a supporting driving pin on said control lever and normally disposed in one of said pockets to afford the sole support for said feed lever and for imparting lateral shifting forces to the first-named tooth to move said feed lever laterally upon rocking movement of said control lever, a second pin normally engageable with one of said cam surfaces on one side of the second tooth, means supporting said second pin for shifting movement lengthwise of said control lever away from said second tooth to enable said second pin to shift laterally from the one cam surface across said second tooth and on to the second cam surface and yielding means acting between said control lever and the'second pin to hold the second pin forcefully against said one cam surface to cause said feed lever to fulcrum about the first pin disposed in one of said pockets as aforesaid, whereby when said feed lever encounters resistance against lateral movement as aforesaid both said pins shift laterally to their second positions to establish a new fulcrum for said feed lever causing the feed lever to assume its second tilted position.

3. In a printing machine, ribbon feed and reversing mechanism comprising ribbon spools having ratchet wheels connected respectively thereto for advancing said spools, a control lever pivotally mounted in said machine, a feed lever having drive means at opposite ends for respectively drivingly engaging one of said ratchet wheels when said feed lever is in a first tilted ratchet driving position and for drivingly engaging the other of said ratchet wheels when in a second tilted ratchet driving position, said feed lever having an enlarged opening sub stantially at its midpoint affording a pair of symmetrical fulcrum pockets disposed between upper and lower opposed edges, of said feed lever, said feed lever having a tooth formed on the periphery of said opening between said pockets, said feed lever having another tooth on one of said opposed edges thereof and whereat ends of a pair of cam surfaces terminate, said cam surfaces also being formed on said one edge of the feed lever, said teeth being directly opposite one another and said pockets and said cam surfaces being symmetrical and spaced substantially equally from the center points of said teeth, a supporting and driving pin fixed on said control lever and being normally disposed in one of said pockets as the sole support for said feed lever and for imparting lateral shifting forces to the first named tooth to move said feed lever laterally upon rocking movement of said control lever, a second pin normally engageable with one of said cam surfaces, said second pin being fixed on a slide bar aligned axially with said control lever, said slide bar being carried on said control lever for movement therewith as a unit and said slide bar being adapted to slide axially relative to control lever to enable said second pin to be relieved from said one cam surface, and yielding means acting between said control lever and said slide bar to normally hold the second pin forcefully against said one cam surface causing said feed lever to fulcrum about the first pin disposed in one of said pockets as aforesaid, whereby when said feed lever encounters resistance against lateral movement as aforesaid both said pins shift laterally to their second positions to establish a new fulcrum for said feed lever causing the feed lever to assume its second tilted position.

4. Ribbon feed and reversing mechanism according to claim 3 wherein the first-named tooth points toward the upper edge of said feed lever and wherein the secondnamed tooth and said cam surfaces are formed on the lower edge of said feed lever.

5. In a printing machine, a printing device guideway along which a series of printing devices may be advanced to. a printing station in said guideway at said printing station, ribbon spools mounted on opposite sides of the guideway of said printing station and having ratchet wheels connected respectively thereto for advancing said spools, a control lever pivoted on a horizontal axis on said anvil and extending downwardly substantially mid way between said ratchet wheels, a feed lever having laterally extending drive pins at opposite ends for drivingly engaging said ratchet wheels, said feed lever having an enlarged opening at its midpoint affording a pair of fulcrum pockets and having a tooth formed on one edge of said opening between said pockets, said feed lever having another tooth on an edge of the feed lever which other tooth is located between a pair of cam surfaces having ends terminating at said other tooth, both of said teeth being located substantially midway between said drive pins, a supporting drive pin on a lower portion of said control lever disposed in one of said fulcrum pockets to afford a fulcrum for'said feed lever and to transmit shifting forces to the first named tooth to move said lever endwise upon rocking movement of said control lever, a second pin disposed on one of said cam surfaces on one side of said second tooth, and yielding means acting between said control lever and said second pin associated with the second named tooth as aforsaid to maintain the first named tooth in its effective relation to said supporting pin and to rock the feed lever to one or the other of two different angular relations on said control to effectually engage a drive pin on said feed lever with one or the other of said ratchet Wheels selectively.

No references cited. 

